I’d have to say Microsoft did a great job with their cryptic Origami Project campaign. The marketing buzz it created rivaled or perhaps surpassed that of Apple. For the past 3 weeks everyone spend their days searching, speculating and coming up with possible faux designs for the Origami.

Contrary to what several people thought, the product isn’t one bit disappointing! The Origami (previously Haiku) is an ultra mobile device that might soon replace or eliminate my need for my PDA.

According to a Channel 9 Video, the first devices will be running XP with a 800×480 native resolution on 7″ touch screen that is able to emulate higher resolutions. The touch screen is nothing short of brilliant! You can type using your thumbs (i digg the on screen keyboard), use the built in stylus or a bluetooth/usb keyboard.

The batteries are replaceable, and have an average run time of 3 hours which is a bit disappointing, but you cannot expect a lot more with a 1Ghz class CPU and Direct X 8 level graphics.

It comes with an ethernet jack, wireless connectivity, bluetooth 2.0, 2 built in mics for better voip on the go, VGA out, 2 USB ports in addition to a CF slot; I’m not sure if it’s CFIO which would allow EDGE, EVDO, UMTS connections to the internet when a hot spot is not available. As well as optional GPS and portable Digital TV modules! Impressive!

Portability and small form factor PCs are nothing new, last November i reviewed a similar device with a 5″ screen; now the main difference between UMPC and other devices currently on the market is the software that drives them. The Sony U50 ran on Windows XP Professional rather than Windows XP Tablet Edition, without a touch screen, you always had to lug the portable keyboard, the lack of platform specific APIs meant that no applications were designed for this device form factor/resolution.

I don’t know about you, but I personally can see this in a binder on one side and a wireless keyboard on another. I would no longer need to use paper, or lug a huge tablet PC to meetings. And with a price close to a Pocket PC Phone Edition (it sells for $599-$999), you can bet a Samsung Q1 will make its way to my hardware arsenal sometime soon.
For more on this:
Check out Gartenberg’s Analysis
Read Scobles Entry
Read the Origami Project Team Blog’s Debunking Myths Post
Go to Microsoft UMPC webpage

We’ll find out in a few

Rumor has it that the chip giant will announce more about the upcoming, non-PDA, ultra mobile PC Origami, but until then let’s tease our senses with these photos from hype site UMPC.com.

Along with the photo is a bit of text describing what the ultra mobile PC will be able to do, including play online games, video, music, and TV shows. It also mentions that it will be able to “identify its environment”, which sounds quite interesting, don’t you think?

So you’re sat 10 hours a day staring at your computer screen. Why not add some style, and a little bit of geek as you’re sat debugging code, browsing the latest blogs or just playing solitaire!

You want to be sat on the PoeticTech Aura, with a 6 way adustable power chair, handles up to four 20″ monitors, and dozens of other features!

Very Poetic Indeed! Now that’s office furniture you have to have, and they have 6 of those! And while you’re at it why not add a cool mod for your computer case? How about a cigarette lighter & cup holder?

No need to worry about your colleagues stealing your zippo lighter anymore, keep it in your jacket pocket
Related Posts:

• Geek My Run
• Me Wants

With a new satellite channel popping on my satellite receiver every couple of days, it’s becoming ever so hard to find the shows I want to watch, especially that most channels do not have decent EPG yet. And with World Cup at the doors, it’ll become even harder to keep up with the shows I like and watch the matches at the same time.

Enter Showbox! Showtime Arabia, the leading pay-TV network in the Middle East, announced the introduction of a new Decoder, the ShowBox DVR; offering Tivo like functionality for all of their subscribers.

Like TiVo, the Showbox DVR will allow subscribers to watch what they want when they want. So you’re a fan of Lost? The DVR will automatically record that for you while you’re out on the evening, and you’d be able to watch that on your own time. Receiving an urgent phone call while watching your favorite show? Hit the timeshift button, and you’d be able to rewind and watch the show from where you’ve left for up to two hours.

The reportedly simple on screen TV guide and user interface will allow you to pick and chose which shows you want the DVR to record. The DVR comes with an integrated 80 GB harddrive, allowing you to record about 40 hours of your favorite shows and movies. It also comes with Dual Tuners, allowing you to view one channel while recording another! Sweeeeet!

No word yet on whether the internal harddrive is upgradable or if the internal content is DRM(ed). Showtime DRV hit the store shelves in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait on February 15th, and will be followed by other Gulf markets. I’ve contacted Showtime’s dealer in Jordan, they had no idea on what it is or when will it be available or whether it would work with non-showtime channels or not. More on this later.
[Via]